The Talk
by maxandkiz
Summary: Rossi has a little talk with Reid on the plane ride home. Tag to Bully. Spoilers for episode 9X11.


Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and all its characters belong to CBS. I own nothing.

AN- This past episode bothered me. While I like Blake and didn't mind seeing her family (though I wished we'd seen more of the rest of the team, too), the unsub's story bugged me. The man who had been severely bullied and whose friend had committed suicide due to being severely bullied is killing the people he feels responsible for it (or for not stopping it) and Reid has very little to say about it? Reid, the very team member who could identify with the unsub, had next to no reaction to it? Remembering how he acted in Elephant's Memory, I had to at least write some kind of reaction for him. 

CM 

David Rossi picked up his coffee mug and strolled down the narrow aisle of the silent, darkened jet. The rest of the team had conked out as soon as the plane was in the air; well, all except one. That profiler was sitting in a secluded corner of the cabin pretending to read a book. Rossi knew the young man wasn't actually adsorbing the text the way he usually would because the pages weren't being turned in rapid succession. It was a tell-tale sign that something was bothering the boy and Dave had a pretty good idea what that something was. He also knew the kid needed to talk; to work through all the emotions and memories the murderer's reason for killing had dredged up. And since he was the only other person awake, Rossi had swiftly concluded that that particular job fell to him. So the tired agent shuffled over to his young colleague. "Mind if I sit down?" he asked.

Reid mumbled something, his eyes never leaving the hefty book in his trembling hands.

Taking the garbled reply as a yes, Dave sat down across from his young counterpart. He set his mug on the table between them and then looked over at Reid. "You haven't had much to say since we landed in Kansas City. No rambling about how bullying affects children or statistics or angry lectures about how society isn't doing enough to prevent bullying. You stayed in the background during the take down. You didn't even attempt to talk the suspect down. And you didn't engage in your usual teasing and joking with Morgan and Garcia at Mr. Miller's place. Is something bothering you?"

Spencer shrugged, keeping his focus on the book he was hiding behind.

Shaking his head at the gesture, Rossi decided to try a different approach. "You're not getting sick on us, are you kid?" he questioned, reaching out a hand as though to check the younger man for fever.

Reid batted the hand away. "I'm fine." He huffed. Dropping his book in his lap, he wrapped his arms around himself and turned to gaze out the window.

"Reid? Reid? Come on kid. Don't make me come over there." Dave threatened.

Spencer didn't move a muscle.

Dave sighed. "You asked for it." he warned as he got out of his chair. Stepping around the table, he plopped down in the seat beside the man ignoring him, grabbed said man's chin, and turned Reid's head until they were eye to eye. "Now, we're going to try this again. What's eating you, kid?"

"Nothing" Spencer grumbled, pulling his face free. "I'm fine."

"Right and I'm the king of England." Rossi sarcastically stated.

"England has a queen." Reid corrected.

Dave groaned. "Reid"

"What?!" Spencer growled. "What do you want me to say?! That I identified with the killer! That I can't feel sorry for the victims no matter how hard I try! That it brought back all the terror and the, the…" Letting out a shaky breath, Reid turned back to the window.

Dave reached out and started gently rubbing Reid's back. He sat quietly allowing the younger man time to get himself back under control. It was only after the boy he thought of as a son sagged back against the chair and looked his way that the doting father figure spoke. "Reid, you know as well as I do that not all victims of violent crime elicit sympathy. We deal with some of the worst people are the planet. Investigating the murders of pedophiles, rapists, and child abusers comes with the territory. Not being able to feel sorry for some of our victims doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you human."

"But"

"No buts kid" Rossi softly said. "We've all seen victims we didn't feel sympathy for just as all of us have had cases that hit a little too close to home."

"Yes but he was killing those people over something that happened in high school." Spencer argued. "Everyone does things they regret in middle and high school. Between the changes your body is going through, the drive to fit in, and the mob mentality dominant in high schools teenagers do and say things they're ashamed of years later. I know that. So why do I still not feel anything for the victims?"

"Because they hurt you" Dave simply answered.

Spencer's forehead crinkled in confusion. "They didn't hurt me."

"Not those particular people" Rossi conceded. "But who they represented; the bullies."

Reid nodded. "Okay but I still should have…"

"Spencer, let me ask you this." Dave said. "Those kids that bullied you, did you ever wish they were dead?"

"What? No! Of course not!" Reid angrily protested. "That thought never crossed my mind not even after they…" He suddenly deflated. "When, when it was happening, I used to wish someone would help me; that someone would come along and stop it. But of course that was never going to happen. They were the football team; the darlings of the school. I was just the little know it all."

"Spencer"

"And yes I was angry. I hated them for what they did to me and I hated the teachers who knew and never lifted a finger to stop it. But not once did I ever want them dead." Reid told his friend before dropping his gaze to his lap. "I did use to wish that they had to go through just a portion of what they were putting me through."

"Can't fault you for that" Dave commented, making a mental note to have Garcia look up the members of this football team. He'd like to have a little chat with them. "And thinking that doesn't make you a bad person, kiddo."

The look Reid shot Rossi let him know the kid thought he was full of it.

"I mean it, Reid." Dave adamantly said.

Spencer gave his colleague a slight smile. "I know." He replied.

Dave returned the grin with one of his own. While it wasn't exactly a win, it was probably the best he could hope for right now. That didn't mean he wouldn't keep hounding the kid until he believed it. But he had pushed enough for now. Plus Rossi had a feeling there was more to the story. Wanting to get the rest out so they could both rest easy, the senior profiler asked, "So that was the only reason you stayed quiet?"

Spencer's smile faltered. "Not exactly" he answered, dropping his gaze once more. "Last time with the Owen Savage case I went a little too far. I was so incensed about his bullying and the casual way the principal handled it that I did things I shouldn't have and my actions put people's lives in danger. I couldn't let that happen again."

"So you stayed in the background." Rossi stated.

"Yes, I forced myself to keep silent and stay at the station." Reid explained.

Dave sighed. "Next time come to one of us, okay?" he suggested. "There's no shame in asking for help or even requesting to sit out a case."

"I don't need to sit out. I can handle myself." Spencer scoffed.

Dave rolled his eyes at the younger man's change in attitude. Crossing his arms, he pinned Reid with his best fatherly glare. "I'll say it one more time. You will ask for help or to sit out of a case if you need to. Do I make myself clear?"

Spencer ducked his head. "Yes sir" he automatically responded. "I promise I'll come to you if I need help."

"Good" Rossi said, patting the youngster on the back. "Cause I'd hate to have to kick your ass during a case."

Reid barked out a surprised laugh. "Like you could, old man" he teased.

Dave lightly cuffed the back of the boy's head. "Smart mouth" he threw back before standing. He smiled down at the chuckling young man. "Get some sleep, kiddo"

"Yes dad" Spencer answered between giggles.

Shaking his head, Dave picked up his coffee mug and started for his usual seat.

"Hey Rossi!" Spencer called, smiling when the man turned around. "Thanks"


End file.
